Weight sorting device



Dec. 25, 1951 o MEDERER ETAL 2,579,602

WEIGHT SORTING DEVICE Filed Dec. 19, 1945 3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTORS HERBERT 0. N/EDERER,

arm a N/EDERER BY 01-7-0 N/EDEEE/E Dec. 25, 1951 Filed Dec. 19, 1945 3 SheetsSheet 2 INVENTOR$ HERBERT o. NIEDERER,

arm 0. N/EDEREK, BY 07'70 lY/EDERE/B Dec; 25, 1951 H. o. NIEDERER ETAL 2,579,502

WEIGHT SORTING DEVICE Filed Dec. 19, 1945 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 .Fig.5.

INVENTORS HERBERT 0. N/EDEIZER 07m a/V/EDERER. BY 07'7'0 N/EDEREI? Patented Dec. 25, 1951 WEIGHT SORTING DEVICE Herbert 0. Niederer, Otto C. Niederer, and Otto Niederer, Titusville, N. J.

Application December 19, 1945, Serial No. 635,937

Our invention relates to mechanism for sorting articles by weight and particularly to constructions for moving articles to and discharging articles from a series of weighing devices.

Mechanisms heretofore provided for sorting articles by weight have been provided with one or more weighing devices to which articles are transferred one after another so that each is weighed in turn. However, the means provided for moving the articles into weighing position and for discharging articles from the weighing devices have frequently imposed strains upon the scales or have subjected the scales to shocks which tend to injure the device or to influence its operation. Prior devices have also been relatively slow and uncertain in the weighing of articles particularly when successive weighing devices are adjusted to respond to small differences in weight or the articles are of borderline weight so that the weighing device responds very slowly. Under such circumstances it has always been necessary to. conduct the weighing operations slowly or to adjust or repair the mechanism frequently to keep it operating accurately and satisfactorily.

In accordance with our invention these objections and difficulties in prior art devices are overcome and mechanism provided which reduces the strains and impacts to which weighing devices are subjected and which affords positive and rapid operation for weighing and discharging the articles even when the differences in weight are small or articles are of borderline weight.

These advantages preferably are attained by providing means for raising and lowering the articles so that they are deposited onto and removedfrom the weighing devices gradually and in substantially a vertical direction. Movement of the articles longitudinally of the mechanism from one weighing device to another or into and out of weighing position is effected without subjecting the devices themselves to transverse or laterally directed strains. Furthemore, ejecting means are provided for positively removing articles from the scales upon predetermined movement of the scale and the operation of the ejecting means is controlled by a timing element which effects an instantaneous weight determination without the delays and uncertainties incident to slow or limited movement of the weighing device under the action of an article of borderline weight. The operation is thus speeded up and made more certain whereas the weighing device itself is protected from injury.

One of the objects of our invention is to in- "feeding end of the 6 Claims. (01. 2091Z1) crease the speed and accuracy with which articles may be sorted by weight.

Another object of our invention is to provide means for reducing the shocks and strains to which weighing devices are subjected in sorting articles by weight.

A further object of our invention is to provide novel means for moving articles into and out of Weighing positions in sorting articles by weight.

Another object of ourinvention is to provide novel ejecting means for removing articles of predetermined weight from a weighing device.

A furtherobject of our invention is to provide mechanism for effecting an instantaneous weight determination in sorting articles by weight.

These and other'objects and features: of our invention will appear from the following description thereof in which reference is made to the figures of the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective of a typical form of :Inechanism embodying our invention.

Fig. 2 isan enlarged front elevation of the construction illustrated in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a. diagrammatic front view of a por-- tion of the conveying means illustrated in Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view of a portion of the construction shown in Fig. 1 illustrating the weighing device and ejecting means. 7

Fig. 5 is a rear view of theweighing device illustrated in Fig. 4 showing typical locking and timing means therefor, and

Fig. 6 is a rear view of preferred means for actuating the locking andtiming means illustrated in Figs. 1 and 5.

In that form of our invention chosen for purposes of illustration in the figures of the drawings, the mechanism is mounted on a base 2 and is driven by a belt 4 and pulley 6 from a motor and reduction gearing not shown.

Weighing devices 8 and ID are mounted on the base 2 and the articles to be sorted are passed to each weighing device in succession along a track l2 composed of spaced parallel bars. The articles are advanced one step at a time and from one position to another along the track 12 by means of a conveyor I4 located above the track l2 and composed of a bar I6 supported at its ends on rollers l8 mounted on plates 20 secured to oscillating shafts 22. The bar I6 of the conveyor is provided with pairs of downwardly extending fingers 24 and is movable in an elliptical path so as to cause the fingers 24 to engage the articles on the tracl; fiend push them along the articles and the iraa bir fingers is" rediiQ l id ilr angeilr di track during the lower portion of each cycle of overweight, whereas the weighing device It) is movement of the conveyor, adjusted to be actuated only by those articles Articles are supplied to the track I2 by a. feedreaching it and which are of correct weight. ing device embodying a belt 26 movable along Those articles which areunderweight are passed the bottom of the inclined chute 28 and serving beyond both weighing devices by means of the to carry the articles forward in the chute until conveyor l4 and are discharged from the track they are brought to rest in engagement with an 12 by a cam plate 48 so that they will fall into abutment 30 in ,position to be engaged by, the a receptacle 75 0, The articles discharged from the pairs ofifingers' or'it'h e conveyorbar. The fingers weighin device 3 are collected inj areceptacle 24 on the conveyor are spaced apart to engage 52 while those articles of correct weight and and center the articles with respect to the bars discharged from the weighing device I0 are colof the track l2 and to hold the articles in con; leoted in the receptacle 54.

tered position as they are pushed alo'n'g the tra'ck" V The weighing devices 8 and Ill are identical from one weighing device to another in onstruction and each embodies a balance The conveyor is moved through an' ellipticahm b leamtfiniountd on the pivot pins 58 carried path by reciprocating the bar 16 longitudinally by the supports 60 on base 2. Each balance beam while the rollers [8 are raised and lowered in" provided a s'ale plate or pan 62 located timed relation. The bar is moved backand'forth between the parallel bars of the track 12. The longitudinally of the mechanism by a crank 32 pan 62 is pivotally mounted on the balance beam driven by thevsh-aft 34,150 lwhich the pulley 6; is he lugs ii fi and pin 6 6 and is eo'finete'a. Th crank" 1.3? is cofifictdflto the H qsitin during rnovemfent bar 16 through the li The re rs l8 which e 'rnb means: of a parallelogram support the bar it at oveuvertieany m timed arrang T M arm, St wlhi'ch exfela ion to the longitudinal movement of the t ends downwardf m r1152 andth'e link tar by osoill'atio'ri' of the plates 20' whichcarry rf, which is pivotally connected to the erm ,68 therollers l8, 1 The plates 20' are'tonneetea ,toanii tola cross bar 12 which extends between the getter for 'sil'nu l tan usfafid similar movement supper k has the'rigi d 11m: 25, and

the link 38' connected to p I v nderid'o'f the machine as see ihrFig. .1 and si cu'red'to aipl-ate 40' movable" by "an" eccentric 42 or'i the sha'ft 36. With a this construction the' fih'gers onthcoriyyor are fitdvddowrrwara and into article engaging position asth'e C flve is repea ed and travels from right to'Ift' n in Fig s l' and 3, I-lowever, the fingers ,a re'r eappwa d to disengage the 'v'eyor is returned to engage successive articles'as" it moves frorn leit to right. In this waylthe articles are "dva nced one step at '5; time 19 5 f .T? w h I .rposit'ioned with respect tofthff "'ghi'ii'g v iceslas the fingers U V I I e to of the articles more toward Gut'bf eriga mehtwitii the artingthe' tracks ltw edimac g i it o ales: p Y shown i" dotted linesand mwhich hegfarticles i o a 3 fing r pq l e rt'icl s' normally 'tends he: t a t im this e injf on. s eve I I r'than tjhe, nge rspand are e er e 1t 1 w s a Shaun iii Fig; 3.' With this 6 engage tl e articles coriv or and fingers ii J I :Q QY YF T n gin th armies the sleeves"i'er nain stationary alnd ride up on the fingers so lasto rem ainin i ixed position with respect to thejaitiglfs b tne tr lz while the fingers andarticles 'ar e moved longitudinally of the track; The fingers therefore do riot exert any do'\vriward pressure on the articles andefrictionbetween the art les, and

arena beam spro- 'M which maybe I bearte tilt i deep ned 9h table stop member lance beam to be toownwera movereof fso as to hold dposition for rem. a. raised arfull' lines in supported above alarice beam is v to. ck y b lo e d the scale pan without the movement of JV gh gtne. article. O n en t etr' m; s raised the t e p and abovethe theriiffso that the article in 11st ed ts or produce'any a t e Mn g l i me hai l f jll i f-fi ifik llg fjhearticlesto the -accur'a'te weighing or the r it i f is lim at d e en wh n h err i ist a t i V tic1es are rd1i hpri reeulari nsli ei rtermed e5 he traek i2 ra jg id iowifea "1i; timed of soniwhat taclry material such asthe prere tion ttogthe jm ement conveyor by formedrubber stock used in moldin rubber arm t r e h g :rs lil connected to opposite le -.7, t e i ttthetsekaadib jq fq f let i mates ilp nste a o .ill drtw w hin t 2;" whi h the l rs. li i i po ne th n mev q r pl nd th m henis ii er- 7 Yfvsi re ca rie esche s he t a is rm .re e de pe a ,er qle nm ree; rou wi a de r s or i n 5 w i h vbe- 3 rw ht biir t h endunderf'r eath the chutejg or t e re qiog device. Howt t ter i s- E9? t i u os t e we in r, the por i cqi thelfq pk alq g..wh h th Q- leeet ii i t fi dme {E i9? ad u te ar e sate-mete s nonme and extends P to be actuated only by those articles which are 76 both of the weighing devices.

ara es In order to insure the most accurate weighing of articles the balance beams 56 are held stationary as the track is moved downward to deposit articles on the pans 62 and until a stable weighing condition has been established. For this purpose a locking bar 84 extends longitudinally of the mechanism above the weighted ends of the balance beams and is movable vertically from the lowered locking position shown in full lines in Figs. 4, 5 and 6 to a raised weighing position shown in dotted lines inlsaidfigures. In the lowered position the locking bar 84 rests upon the balance beams 56 and holds them in engagement with the stop members 16 so that the pans 62 are held in their raised article receiving position. However, after the track I2 has been lowered and articles have been deposited on the pans 62 the locking bar is raised momentarily to permit tilting of the balance beam in response to the weight of the article. If the article is of sufficient weight to tilt the balance beam the article will be removed from the pan 62 and thereafter the locking bar 84 will descend to engage the balance beams and depress them into engagement with the stop members 16 so that the pans 62 will be restored to their normal raised and article receiving positions. I

The delays incident to tilting of the balance beam through a relatively large are necessary to discharge the articles by gravity from the pans 62 would slow up the weighing operation considerably, particularly when an article is of borderline weight, and moves thescale pan only slowly. In accordance with the present invention, an instantaneous weighing of the article is effected, and the article is positively ejected from the scale pan if the balance beam has tilted a predetermined amount at the instant when the weight is to be determined. For. this purpose on ejector 86 is located adjacent and above the balance beam, and is carried by a lever 88 pivoted at 90 on the frame 92. The upper end 94 of the lever 88 is connected to the armature 06 of a solenoid 98. The ejector is normally held in a retracted position by means of a spring I but upon energizing the solenoid 98 the lever is moved to the dotted line position shown in Fig. 4to cause the ejector 86 to engage the article being weighed and to positively eject it from the scale pan.

Operation of each ejecting means and solenoid is controlled by a micro-switch I 02 or similar means engageable with the balance beam on tilting thereof during the period when the locking bar is raised to release the balance beams for movement. In the construction shown the microswitches 402 are carried by a timing bar I04 and are located above the balance beams 56. The timing bar and switches are moved downward toward the balance beams and from the full line position of Figs. 4, 5 and 6 to the dotted lineposition and are then raised again so that the weight determination is effected substantially instantaneously. In the lowered position the-microswitches are so positioned that they will engage and be actuated by balance beams which are tilted through a predetermined are but will not engage those balance beams which have not been tilted or which have been tilted through an insuf ficient arc to give a positive indication of the weight of an article.

Upon operation of a micro-switch the solenoid associated therewith is actuated to move its armature to the right as seen in Fig. 4, whereupon the lever 88 and ejector 86 are moved to the dotted line position so that an article on the pan 62-is positively removed from the pan. The lever and ejector are then returned immediately to the idle or full line position so that they will not interfere with other operations of the device. As shown the ejector preferably moves upward in engaging an article on the pan 62 so that the article is raised from the pan as it is re-. moved therefrom.

The operation and movement of the locking bar 84 and of the timing bar I04 are controlled by elements securedto oscillating shafts 22. For this purpose an arm I06 is secured to each of the oscillating shafts 22 and is provided with a projection I 08 engageable with the links I I0 which are freely mounted on the oscillating shafts 22 and connected to the opposite ends of the locking bar 84. Upon oscillation of the shafts 22 the projections I08 on the arms I06 engage the links IIO so that the locking bar 84 is raised from the full line position of Figs. 4, 5 and 6 to the dotted line position to disengage the balance beams 56 and release the weighing devices for operation.

Arms II2 fixedly secured to the oscillating shafts 22 are provided with projections I I4 engageable with link I I5 rotatably mounted on shaft 22 and connected to the timing bar I04 to move this bar downward so that the micro-switches I02 will be lowered into position to engage those balance beams which have been tilted. The timing bar I 04 is normally held in raised position by means of a spring I I 6 so that the timing bar and micro-switches are depressed only instantaneously and in timed relation to the operation of the locking bar 84. Upward movement of the timing bar is limited by an overhanging stop member H1.

The mechanism shown and described is particularly adapted for use in sorting articles which are rough or irregular or formed of somewhat tacky or plastic compositions, such as the preformed units used in molding rubber products. Such units must be carefully weighed in order to be sure they contain enough rubber to fill the mold and form a perfect article. On the other hand, if the unit contains too much rubber the excess will be extruded-from the mold as a flash or fin which is waste material and must be removed by performing further operations on the molded article.

When sorting such preformed units the articles are placed in the chute 28 by an operatior and are carried forward by the belt 26 until they engage the abutment 30. The belt is driven from the pulley II8 on the shaft 34 and operates con-,- tinuously to urge the articles toward the abutment and into position to be engaged by the fingers 24 on the conveyor bar I6.

As the conveyor bar moves downward and toward the left as seen in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the sleeves 44 on the fingers engage the articles and move them from the abutment 3 onto the track I2 and along the track into position above the pan 62 of the weighing device a. During this movement the relative movement of the sleeves 44 and fingers 24 eliminates any downward pres: sure of the fingers which might press the articles against the bars of the track I2 and therefore the articles are advanced readily and without any sticking or tilting of the articles during movement thereof. Moreover, the spaced fingers serve to center the articles with respect to the track so that they will beproperly positioned on the pans 62 to. insure accurate weighing thereof. 1

While the articles normally are supplied and estates iiibved des ribed withoutany diificuity, care ressriess on theflpart of an operator may' cause afticls'to be improperly fed to theabutment 30 so that they are jammed together or stick iii-being transferred onto the track I2 In such cases the fihgers on the conveyor may engage an article"- and lift the conveyor bar off therollers [8 by which the bar is supported; Guide mem bers 'l dfiare therefore carried by tilepntes 20 1515* cause the bar to drop back in placeon the rbllers 18- ifdisplaced therefrom.

As the" fingers andsleeves move upward out of engagement with the article's'af'ter advancing the article's cne' step along the tracl i I 2 the trachitself moves downward to deposit the ar times the pans e32 of the weighing"devices this part of each cycle the locking bar atrest scn the tanncebeams- 5t and holds therii to engagement with the stop members F6 so that the act of' depositing the articles the pans 62 will not cause the balance beam to tilt; However, when" the articles have been properly positioned on the pans S2 and have reached a stable condition, the locking bar is raised by oper ation of the arms the on the oscillating shafts 22. The balance beams are then freeto move in response tothe Weight of the articles being weighed. V 7

During the interval while the locking bar is raised the timing bar H14 carrying the microswitches Hi2 is depressed for an instantby the arms H2 on oscillating shafts 22. The position (it the micro-switches and the movement ofthe timing ba-r Hi l are such that the switches will only engage and be actuated by those balance beams which have then tilted through a pre-' determined are as represented in dotted" lines in Fig. 4. If any balance beam has not tilted at all or has tilted insufficiently to be engaged by the micro-switch associated therewith at the instant the timing bar is moved downward, that article will remain on the pan $2 of the balance beam and will be moved on toa new position during the next cycle of operation. However, any micro-switch which is actuated by engaging a tilted balance beam will complete a circuit through the solenoid S8 to energize the same and cause the ejector 86 to swing outward and upward to remove the article from the pan ii-Z so that it will fall into the proper receptacle. The contact of the micro-switch with the balance 7 beam is only momentary and therefore the solemm is immediately (is-energized so that the ejector isr'eturned promptly to its inactive posi tionby' the spring lot;

' After the article has been ejected or'allowed to remain on the pan 62, depending on its weight, the locking bar again is lowered to hold the balance beams inactive and the track I2 is raised to lift the articles remaining from the pans. The conveyor bar and fingers which have then ben'moved back toward the right as seen in Fig.

lare then in position to descend and engage other'article's so as to repeat the cycle of oper= ations.

In this way each article in turn is passed through the machine and accurately weighed so as to be sorted out from other articles of different weights. When sorting preformed rubber units for molding purposes those which are of improper weight may be returned and reformed or the overweight units may be trimmed down to proper weight and all of the units actually used for molding will be of such size and weight that proper molding is assured. Similarly when said track, means for moving said track toe gradihg-"orflsorting' other articles by weight'an accurate classification of the articles is assured.

While-we have illustrated and described one particular embodiment of our: invention it wilt be apparent that numerous changes and medi f-icationsmay'be made-in the form, arrangement and construction of eachof the elements: of the combination. In view thereof it should bc-understood that the particular embodiment of. our. invention herein shown and described is. in

tended to be illustra't'ive only and is not intended to limit/ the scope of our invention.

we claim;

In a weighing device having a balance beam with article receiving; means thereon, means for depositing an article on said article receiving.

means, means' -movable timed relation to the operation of said article depositing means? for holding saidbalance beam stationary while. an article is being deposited on said article receiv irig means; ejecting means for removing an articlefrom said article receiving. means, electri'cally actuated means for operating said ejecting means; a switch controlling. said-electrically actuated means and movable toward said balance beam into position to engage the balance beam when tilted, and means-for moving saidswitch to said position while the balance beam is released for movement? I 2. Inmechanism' for sorting articles wherein the articles are moved fromone position to another" along a predetermined path, means for supporting the articles during movement thereoi, a conveyorin'the form of a bar extending iongi tudina'lly of said path; means for moving said support, and article engaging means engaging.

said spaced members and movable with respect thereto in a direction at right angles to said support whereby article's engaged by said members will be moved thereby along said- 3. In mechanisrn for sorting articles wherein the articles are moved from one position to another" along a: predetermined path, means for supporting the articles during movement thereof,

a conveyor in the form of a bar extending longitherefrom at right angles to said support and into position to move into and. out of engagement with articles on said support to advance said articles from one predetermined position to another, and an article engaging member slidably mounted on each of said fingers and positioned to engage an article on said support and to remain in fixed position with respect to said article during elliptical movement of said conveyor.

4. In mechanism for sorting articles by weight embodying a plurality ofweighing devices ad justed to respond to progressively decreasing weights, each provided with article receiving means, means for moving articles along a predetermined path to and from said article receiv'ing means comprising a track formed to receive and support the articles to be sorted, said article moving means being movable longitudinally relative to said track to move articles along path Without I being urgedtowar'd or away from said. support.

9 raised position in which the track is located above the article receiving means and to a lowered position in which the track is located below said article receiving means, means for holding said article receiving means in fixed position during movement of said track upward and downward past said article receiving means, conveying means extending substantially parallel to said path, means for moving said conveying means through an elliptical course extending parallel to the path of movement of said articles, article engaging means carried by said conveying means and freely slidable with respect to the conveying means in a direction substantially at right angles to the track, said article engaging means being positioned to move into and out of engagement with articles supported on said track when the track is in said raised position and to move said articles along said track to and from positions above said article receiving means whereby articles engaged by said article engaging means will be moved along said track without being urged toward or away from said track.

5. Mechanism for grading articles by weight comprising a weighing device having article receiving means thereon, an article supporting track extending past said article receiving means, and held against longitudinal movement, said track presenting a substantially smooth longitudinally extending surface formed to receive and support articles to be weighed, conveying means disconnected from said track and movable longitudinally thereof for pushing articles along said smooth surface of track and into position adjacent said article receiving means, and means for lowering said track to a position in which it serves to deposit an article on said article receiving means, and for raising said track to a position wherein it serves to raise an article from said article receiving means and to support it in position to be engaged by said article moving means.

6. Mechanism for grading articles by weight comprising a series of weighing devices each having a balance beam with article receiving means thereon, said balance beams each being adjusted to move in response to an article of difierent weight and said article receiving means being located along the path of movement of articles to be weighed, means forming a track defining said path of movement, and presenting a substantially smooth longitudinally extending surface formed to receive and support articles to be weighed, means for lowering said track to a position in which it serves to deposit articles on said article receiving means, and for raising said track to a position wherein it serves to raise an article from said article receiving means and to support it in position to be engaged by said article moving means, conveying means disconnected from the track and movable longitudinally thereof for pushing articles along said smooth surface of track when said track is in a raised position, means for holding said balance beams stationary until articles have been deposited on said article receiving means, means for removing an article from said article receiving means, electrically actuated means controlling operation of said article removing means, and means for momentarily closing electrical circuits including those actuating means associated with balance beams which have moved in response to the weight of articles deposited on the article receiving means thereof.

HERBERT O. NIEJDERER.

OTTO C. NIEDERER.

OTTO NIEDERER.

, REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,158,023 Smith May 9, 1939 2,279,947 Keen Apr. 14, 1942 2,353,539 Beach July 11, 1944 2,381,035 Campbell Aug. 7, 19 15 2,407,664 Herrold Sept. 17, 1946 2,433,575 Niederer et al Dec. 30, 1947 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 420.612 Great Britain Dec. 5, 1934 

